One night
by ren711
Summary: MitRu One night, they find themselves in each other’s company thinking about how life is such a piece of crap. Later on, Mitsui gets into trouble and Rukawa saves him. Will the night’s events change things between them, or will everything be ignored?CHAPT
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing**: MitRu! a current obsession

**Genre**: I dunno really…

**Rating**: Urm, I'd have to say PG13. You'll see some rude language in here. Just a tad bit though.

**Disclaimer**: I obviously don't own slamdunk or any of its gorgeous characters. A sad fact.

**Summary**: MitRu One night, they find themselves in each other's company thinking about how life is such a piece of crap. Later on, Mitsui gets into trouble and Rukawa saves him. Will the night's events change things between them, or will everything be ignored?

**a/n**: sigh This is actually just a sorry excuse for a fic. I hate being pessimistic really, but I just don't see its glow. I posted it here anyway so that…uhm…actually, I don't know why I posted it laughs. Well, R&R anyway. I really wanna know what you think about it. Just please don't flare! Any kind of decent review is much welcome.

---

--Chapter 1--

Love.

Falling in-love.

'What does it feel like?' He found himself thinking.

He never really cared about this kind of mushy stuff. He never even thought about it. But now, as Mitsui Hisashi walked along the path which led to the park's lake, eyeing the lovers around him, he asked himself that question.

He stopped in his tracks and looked around, 'Are all these people truly in-love?'

After a few seconds though, he suddenly slapped himself in the forehead ignoring the questioning looks people were giving him.

'Hisashi, this is stupid', He thought to himself. 'You're being very stupid.'

He started walking again, picking up pace since he wanted to get out of that place as soon as possible. He didn't want to see those lovers anymore. They just gave him stupid, creepy, and not to mention annoying, thoughts.

After a few minutes, he finally reached the lake. The place was quiet, serene and deserted. Just what he needed. A place far away from any human contact.

He sat on the ground and leaned on the Sakura tree facing the lake. He always went to this place when he needed some peace and quiet. Today, he needed it more than ever.

Why?

Just a few days ago, he was in his room listening to music when he heard shouts…

"Why don't you just shut the fuck up and mind your own business!" He heard his father say.

"You know what, I don't care about your stupid business! I don't even care about you anymore!" His mother retorted.

'Okay. This is too much.' Mitsui ran down and stopped at the foot of the stairs. His mother was shouting with tears in her eyes and his father looked just plain angry.

"Would you two give it a rest!" He said as loud as he could, trying to be heard over their shouts. It proved to be ineffective though, as neither seemed to have noticed him.

"Oh yeah! Well if you don't care about me, then leave!" His father shouted.

"Nani! Leave? This is my house!" His mother said in disbelief.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Mitsui's dad started walking towards the door and when he opened it, about to walk out, his mother said something that made the atmosphere even tenser.

"By the way, I want a divorce." She said in a very hushed voice, and then she turned around and left.

Mitsui was staring at his mother's retreating back when he heard a door slam shut.

He found himself sighing as he remembered that incident. Then he realized that it might have been the reason why he started thinking of silly thoughts a little while ago. At the back of his mind, he didn't really care if those people were in-love. He was wondering if his own parents were.

Probably not though, because today the divorce would be official as both his parents have already signed.

Just when he was starting to get deeper in his thoughts, he heard a small rustle at the back.

He stood up quickly and turned around.

No one.

"Hey, is someone there?" He asked towards the direction of the soft rustling. No one answered.

Finally deciding that it might have just been the wind or some cat lurking around, he shrugged and sat back down.

"No one could be here. I would've felt it if someone was around" He said to himself. Quickly dismissing the idea, he went back to pondering on his parents and the divorce.

But his thoughts were again distracted by the sound of footsteps. He stood up again and looked back at the same direction of the previous rustling.

His heart was beating fast. He didn't know why but he knew it was annoying. His breathing had become deeper too, but still, he didn't know why he was feeling this way. He wanted to punch himself.

The footsteps were getting closer. He held his breath.

Then, from the trees and bushes surrounding the deeper part of the forest around the lake, emerged a guy. A guy taller than he was by a few inches, with raven black hair and a very pale complexion.

He knew this guy.

"Sempai."

After a few minutes of shock and disbelief, he let out a long sigh.

He couldn't believe what had just happened. Why was he so nervous?

He felt really stupid and relieved at the same time. All of the tension made him crack a small smile at the person in front of him. Very unlike him, yes, but who could blame him?

"Hey Rukawa."

The latter gave him a small nod accompanied by a suspicious stare that clearly said 'What the heck did you just do?'

Mitsui let out a small laugh.

"Sorry. I was just feeling a bit queasy a while ago." He explained. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Hanging out." Was Rukawa's plain answer.

"Right." Mitsui said, amused at Rukawa's slight indifference. Still feeling a bit tense from the prior events, he sat down at his usual spot and gestured for Rukawa to do the same.

He doubted if the freshman would sit down though, since he was never really close to any of them, let alone him. He closed his eyes anyway, craving for relaxation.

A few moments passed and he felt someone take the place beside him. He opened his eyes and looked at his left. He saw Rukawa leaning on the tree with his eyes closed. This made him smile.

The whole afternoon they were just like that. Sitting side by side, eyes closed, taking in the freshness of the atmosphere. The whole time, no words were said. No words were needed.

They both figured that it would be more awkward sitting together, trying to start a conversation when none of them really wanted one. So, why not just be silent?

This worked well for both of them.

Nightfall had come but neither noticed as they were both deep in their thoughts. They could have stayed there all night not minding anything, but—

"Oh shit!" Mitsui suddenly exclaimed. This made Rukawa open his eyes and cast another 'what the heck' look at the other.

"Sorry. I just remembered something. Um, hey, I really have to leave. So, uh, see yah I guess."

He said all of these in a panicked tone and he said them very swiftly. He stood up just as fast and started running, leaving a confused Rukawa sitting under the Sakura tree.

"Hn."

'What was that about? Weird guy.'

---

Pant.

He was running fast. Very fast.

He was half an hour late and he was sure they wouldn't like that.

He didn't want to go, but he had to. Because he didn't want to endanger the Shohoku basketball team again. No. He won't let that happen.

At last, he arrived at the place. A dark, deserted courtyard. But no one was there.

'Oh shit. I'm too late.'

"Well, well, well. We were beginning to think you wouldn't show, Mitchy." A deep voice behind him said.

He turned around. He couldn't see anything. Or anyone.

"Yeah. I told the boss we should leave and just pay your school a visit tomorrow. Whaddya think about that, huh?" A smaller voice said. He still couldn't see who it was.

This was getting annoying.

"Hey. Cut it out and show yourself." He said in an irritated tone.

"Hah! You're in no position to boss us around." Another voice said.

He didn't say anything to this. He knew he was in no position to be high and mighty, but they were really getting on his nerves.

The boss finally showed himself. The rest of the gang followed suit. "Just give us the money Mitchy. I want to get this over with."

'So do I.' He thought, still aggravated at the gang. He owed them some money from before, when he was still a gangster himself,

their leader, actually. Now's the time they chose for him to pay it all back or else they'd pay another visit to the team.

He brought out money from his pocket and threw it on the ground. One of the gang's members took it and started counting.

"All here, boss."

'Ts.' Glad that it was all over, he turned his back to them and began to leave. But they wouldn't let him go that easily.

"Wait a minute. Where are you going so fast?"

He turned around and one by one, the members closed on him, clearly ready to punch or kick him to the depths of hell.

"This is what you get for making us wait so long Mitchy."

'Oh man. This ain't gonna be pretty.'

He readied himself for a beating. He couldn't fight back. If he did, the whole team would be banned from playing if the school found out. And he knew they would. The gang would make sure of that.

Three members charged. He stepped back and sooner than he wanted, his back was already touching the wall.

'Great. This is it.'

He reflexively shut his eyes, anticipating the blows he was sure to receive.

…

Nothing came.

'What the-'

He opened his eyes slowly and was confused at the sight before him.

The gang had stopped trying to attack him. They were all looking in the other direction, where the boss was talking with two men standing a few feet from them.

One was tall and had a good build; the other was shorter and quite large. Well, whoever those two were, he sure owed them one.

"Hai, sensei." He heard the boss say apologetically. "It won't happen again."

'Sensei?'

He heard a small chuckle from the large man and quickly, the boss together with his members, started running away.

'Could sensei mean-'

Slowly, the two men who had just saved him from a severe beating, walked up to him.

The large man was none other than his coach, his most valuable mentor, Anzai-sensei.

"Aah. Mitsui-kun, I'm glad that you're okay." He said with a calm smile. "I'm also glad that you found the strength to control yourself from fighting back."

"Anzai-sensei, I, um, thank you." He sputtered, still a bit dazed from all the happenings. "But, how did you know?"

His coach chuckled again. "You see, I was taking a midnight stroll when Rukawa-kun found me."

"Rukawa?"

He instinctively looked at the other man Anzai-sensei was with. He was standing a few feet back and was looking at the other direction, hands inside his pockets.

He knew it was Rukawa even in the dark. Who else could it be?

"He told me that he saw you with a bunch of gangsters." Sensei continued. " Rukawa-kun told me that it might have just been your old friends, but I knew otherwise so I went here."

Mitsui didn't speak. He didn't know what to say. Everything that happened today was strange. First, the incident at the park with Rukawa. Second, him being saved by Anzai-sensei, _also_ with Rukawa.

"Mitsui-kun, Rukawa-kun," Anzai-sensei said, looking at the other direction where Rukawa was standing, " It's time for both of you to go home now, I believe."

"Uh, yeah, it is. Anzai-sensei, thank you for everything." Mitsui told his coach with a small bow. "I'm going now."

"Me too, Anzai-sensei." Rukawa suddenly said with that deep and calm voice of his. He, too, nodded his head a little and started leaving.

Both of them left at the same time, leaving Anzai-sensei deep in his thoughts.

'Those two have an unusual connection.'

"Ho. Ho. Ho"

---

Mitsui was confused. Too much weird stuff has happened and he still had a lot of questions. Yet here he was, walking side by side with a man who looked like nothing of particular interest ever occurred.

This was nothing surprising though. It was Rukawa after all.

"Um, listen, I wasn't able to say thank you a while ago so, thanks." Mitsui practically whispered.

The latter replied with his usual nod.

At this, Mitsui found himself snorting. In turn, Rukawa shot him a glare that could-in all honesty-kill.

"What's the matter with you anyway?" Mitsui asked, laughing a little. "I mean, why are you so…distant?"

Rukawa just raised his eyebrow. "Why not?"

This time, it was Mitsui's turn to raise an eyebrow. "You're pretty weird, you know."

"So are you."

Mitsui's eyes narrowed. "I like you better when you're not talking."

"I feel the same way about you."

He didn't know what else to do. He was annoyed and at the same time amused. Not knowing how else to handle the situation, he found himself laughing.

"Hn."

'What the heck's wrong with this guy?' Rukawa asked himself. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow again. He seemed to do that a lot when he was around his sempai.

Mitsui stopped laughing, taking in a few deep breaths. He needed that. A lot. And as far as he knew, all the tension that enveloped him a while ago was gone.

"Sorry." He said, looking at the man beside him.

"For what?" Rukawa asked.

"For losing it, I guess." He sighed and looked at his feet. "My life's a total mess, if you haven't noticed."

"I have…and it is."

"Tch. Thanks for making me feel better." Mitsui said, sarcasm in his voice.

Rukawa looked up at him. "Your not the only one who's life is a total wreck."

Both of them fell silent.

They walked without saying a word to each other for a few minutes until they reached the corner where they would have to take different paths.

Mitsui was first to break the silence.

"I gotta go right here. So, I'll see you in practice tomorrow then." He nodded at Rukawa and started to leave.

When he was a few steps away…

"Sempai," Rukawa called out in a low voice, "Goodnight."

Mitsui turned around and saw Rukawa's withdrawing back.

"Goodnight, Rukawa."

-tbc-

---

**a/n**: The 'tbc' I placed above is actually not a sure thing. It depends on what you say about the fic. So…uhm…what do you think? Is it crap? sigh Oh well, please R&R to let me know if I should continue this or not. Any comment or suggestion will be appreciated. But no flares please. I've done enough of that to myself.

**ren**


	2. Chapter 2

a/n: Wow. It certainly has been a looong time since I last wrote. For this, I wanna say sorry to those who reviewed my fic and wanted more. I didn't mean to delay the story for such an extensive period of time. I was just so busy with schoolwork and all that other stuff. Not to mention the fact that my mind was totally void of any ideas. sigh Oh well, now that it's the summer, I can have all the time in the world to write. So, yeah. Here's another chapter for you guys. Hope you like it. R&R please! 

By the way, this chapter's focused mainly on Rukawa, going from his past until the incident last chapter…

--- One night --Chapter 2— Loneliness. 

Yes. That painful, uneasy feeling as if all sound has died out; preventing you from getting to sleep, making you hold on to the covers…1

That's exactly how our little Ice Prince is feeling.

Lonely.

Deep in his heart, he knows it. He even accepts it. But admitting it is another thing altogether. And it is because of this that he created a mask. A façade, you could say. To everyone around him, he is the Ice Prince. Indifferent. Detached. He doesn't need anything. Let alone, anyone.

'Who am I fooling?' He asked himself one day. 'I'm falling apart. I can't stay like this. I need…something.'

But what? What is that something? What can keep you standing on your two feet; keeping you interested in living?

Well, he found a solution to that one pretty quickly.

Basketball.

In no time, he found himself embracing that sport. Cherishing it. Giving it his all. _It was his life._

For years, he lived under that spell. Nothing could come between him and basketball. Nothing.

But no one could have expected that this would last forever. Not even him. A mere sport cannot sustain a person's sense of living. And soon, he again found himself asking questions…

'There has to be more. But what?' No matter how many times he asked himself, no answer would come. So he decided to ask somebody else. Someone he knew he could trust. Someone who seems to understand life better than him…

"So what do you think, Ayako-san?" He asked in a low tone. He had just finished explaining to the team manager his thoughts and was now waiting for an answer.

"Well," the curly haired girl started, "I think you're looking for the wrong things. In fact, I don't think you should be looking for a thing."

"Huh?" This made Rukawa's eyebrow rise. 'What the heck is she talking about?'

The look on the latter's face made her laugh. "You're so cute when you do that, Rukawa!" There was another series of laughing and raised eyebrows before she found herself ready to answer. "You see, what I think you need is…a friend!"

'A friend, huh?' A week has passed since that incident in the school gym with Ayako. So far, all he did was think about her advice instead of taking it.

'Do I really need one? Hm. Maybe she was wrong.' He thought to himself as he walked down the snowy sidewalk. The streets are crowded this time of year, with people cramming to buy Christmas gifts.

He looked around. Everyone seemed to have a companion. A friend. 'Or maybe she was right. Maybe I do need a one.'

"Rukawa-kun? Is that you?" A voice said from behind.

He turned around and found himself face to face with his nemesis. "Sendoh?"

"So it is you! Funny seeing you out here. Are you looking for a gift?" He asked with that sunny smile of his plastered on his face. "Well?"

"Uh, no."

"I see. Then what are you doing here?" Still he smiled, seemingly forgetting that Rukawa was his archrival.

"I should be asking you the same question. This is pretty far from where you live."

"It is. But I'm staying with my cousin this break." He explained. "You still haven't answered my question, you know."

"What question?"

Sendoh sweat-dropped. "You're impossible, Rukawa-kun. I just asked you what you were doing here." He smiled once again, this time with an expectant look.

"Oh, that. I was just walking around." The ace shrugged.

A look of satisfaction dawned on the spikey-haired boy's face. "That's good then. Since you're not doing anything important, why don't you help me shop?"

"Shop? I don't shop. Sorry."

"Aww, come on. Of course you do. Don't let a friend down!" He insisted.

'A friend?'

"We're friends?" He asked the man in front of him.

"Of course we are! Don't you wanna be friends with me?" The Ryonan player put on a fake look of disappointment.

"Err. I don't know. It's just…I don't…I'm not…" The raven-haired boy couldn't find the right words to say. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he finds out that he had a friend all this time.

But then, how could he be so sure he was a real friend?

"Sendoh, what's a friend anyway?" He found himself asking.

The boy in front of him was a bit surprised. He didn't see that coming. But after a few moments of silence, he found the right answer.

"A friend lights up your life when you're in the dark, Rukawa-kun"

Ever since that incident, the two had been good friends. Best friends, actually.

They would spend time together 2 times a week and just hangout and watch home movies with popcorn like good friends do. Other times they would go fishing (yes, the kitsune learned how to fish), and other times they would meet up at the local court and have a one-on-one all afternoon.

To make it simple, they were close. Real close. Rukawa's life was suddenly filled with so much light it was almost blinding. But as they say, some things are just too good to be true.

This was one of those situations.

Their friendship was something beautiful and it was as true as it could get. But before long, Rukawa felt something different for Sendoh. Something beyond friendship. Something that bothered him a lot. Something that would result to the end of their happy days together…

…

"I think you're in love with him, Rukawa-kun." Was Ayako's plain answer. The kitsune had been pestering him all day about his feelings and the manager could think of no other explanation. For her, Rukawa was simply in love.

"In love? Hm. I don't think so. I'm not capable of that." He said firmly. They were inside the school gym for the team's daily practice.

"Of course you are. Everyone is capable of falling in love. Even an Ice Prince like you." She answered back with a smirk.

At this, Rukawa raised a brow. "You think?"

"I don't think. I know."

"Fine, then. What should I do?" He queried. He wasn't used to these things. In fact, this is the first time he's ever experienced it.

Ayako looked at him with a grin on her face. "Tell him."

"Tell…what! I can't tell him that!" He whispered to the snorting manager. He didn't want to talk in his usual voice even if he knew it wasn't loud. He couldn't imagine what would happen if someone overheard them.

"You have to! What if he likes you back? He'll never know you do too unless you tell him!" She advised him in a voice as soft as the latter's.

"What if he doesn't? Then it'll be the end of our friendship. You were the one who told me to find friends." He retorted.

Ayako sighed in disbelief. " I did. But I never told you to go around falling in love with them, did I? Besides, you'll end up hurting yourself if you keep it all locked up inside!"

…

'Tch. Tell him, huh? She must be crazy.' It was already nightfall and Rukawa was in his room, pondering on the conversation he and Ayako had not too long a go at practice. They spent the whole afternoon talking in whispers but still, Ayako could not think of any other solution and insisted the Ice Prince to do what she said.

He agreed in the end but now that he couldn't think of a way to do it, second thoughts started to emerge from his head.

'Maybe I shouldn't do it. After all, I'm happy the way things are.'

_Are you really?_

'Yes. After all, a friend was all I asked for.'

_But you know he's more than just a friend._

'It doesn't matter what I feel. I shouldn't even be feeling things like this. I'm an Ice Prince and everyone knows that.'

_Who cares what everybody knows? You never used to care what others felt. This is your chance to be happy…_

'I told you. I'm happy already.'

_You're not. This is just one of your masks. You're pretending to be happy but the truth is, it hurts._

'Hn. Even if you're right, what'll happen if I tell him?'

_If he feels the same way about you, then there's a happy ending, one you haven't experienced in a long time._

'What if he doesn't?'

_That's up to you. You can continue to be friends but a lot of things will change. You have to be ready to risk that._

'I don't think I can. I don't want to lose him.'

_There are other people out there. You can't expect to have only one friend for the rest of your life. Think about it, no matter what happens, you'll still be friends. Maybe not best friends, but still friends right? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain._

'Maybe…'

_…_

'I…I'll do it, then.'

_Finally. Well, here's your chance. He's outside your house now._

"What!"

Rukawa quickly stood up from his bed and walked over to the window. True enough, when he looked down to the front porch, he saw the spikey-haired boy that he and his conscience had been arguing about.

There was no time to lose. This time, he knew what he had to do even if he didn't know exactly how. He marched down the stairs and walked over to the front door. He was nervous and excited at the same time. These were all new to him since he had banned such emotions from interfering in his life. Feeling them again after such a long time was unnerving, but he had no time to contemplate this things. Right now, someone was waiting to see him on the other side of this door.

"Kaede-kun! I'm so sorry to bother you at this time of night but I just had to see you!" He said, face and voice full of excitement.

"No prob. Come in." Was Rukawa's dull reply. He was taken off guard. He hadn't expected such an outburst of excitement from his best friend and this made him forget his own thrill.

Sendoh sat on the couch while Rukawa went off to get some tea. "So, what're you so excited about?" He called out from the kitchen.

"Oh. Well, you see, something great happened today and I just thought you should be the first to know." He explained with the brightest smile Rukawa has ever seen on his face.

"Uh-huh. Actually, I wanted to tell you something, too." Rukawa had just come back from the kitchen and was now setting the tea on the living room table.

"Really? Okay, you go first then!" Sendoh persisted.

"Nah. You go first. You look like you might burst if you don't tell me about it right at this very second." Rukawa answered back with a smirk.

The smiley face beside him went to a fit of laughter. "That's an overstatement! I can wait. You go first. I insist."

"Right. Okay then, this might be quite a shock for you." Rukawa started, seriousness dawning on his face. 'This is it.'

"Don't interrupt me okay?"

"Um, sure." Sendoh responded. It was clear in his face that he wasn't expecting something this serious. There was no more smile on his face and what replaced it was a look of earnestness. Whatever his bestfriend had to say, it seemed important. He was all ears.

"Akira, this isn't easy for me to say. But I know that if I don't let it out now, it'll be more difficult. It's just that all these years, you were the only person who reached out to a block of ice like me. And ever since we became friends, I didn't feel so cold anymore. It's like all the ice surrounding me melted when you showed me that warm smile of yours. And that's why you're so important to me.

"I know you probably don't feel the same about me, but I just have to tell you.

"I just have to tell you that…I love you."

"…"

"…"

Akira was first to break the silence. "I'm sorry, Kaede-kun. I mean, I'm really happy you feel that way about me. You're very important to me, too. You're great and I love you too as a friend. But I can't give more than that 'coz you see…

"…I'm in love with someone else. That's what I wanted to talk to you about today. I've been in love with Hiro-kun for a long time and, well, we're together now…"

…

Loneliness. 

Yes. That painful, uneasy feeling as if all sound has died out; preventing you from getting to sleep, making you hold on to the covers…

That's exactly how our little Ice Prince is feeling.

Lonely.

It's been 6 months since that incident. A lot of things have changed. For one, Rukawa no longer gets visits from a certain spikey-haired boy twice a week. No more home movies with popcorn and afternoons spent fishing. He still goes to the local court but he plays alone now.

To make things simple, everything's gone back to life before he met Sendoh. Once again, he is the Ice Prince everyone knows. Indifferent. Detached. He doesn't need anything. Let alone, anyone.

Only basketball keeps him busy now. Other than that, there's nothing. Nothing…

'Sigh.' The raven-haired boy stood up and put on a shirt. Beautiful days like this should be spent outdoors and that was what he was planning to do.

"Rukawa-sama, are you going out?" The house caretaker asked. Mrs. Asakura2 was by far the only person in the world who showed concern for the kitsune. After all, she has been taking care of him since he was a little boy.

Rukawa nodded to the old woman and added, "I'll be home by nightfall."

Once out, he felt the cool autumn breeze envelope him but wasn't bothered by it even if he didn't have a sweater on. He was used to going out this time of day. And just like those other days, he was heading for his usual destination, the city park. He loved staying by the lake deep inside it. People don't usually go there and so he has the place all for himself.

Come to think of it, he was there yesterday too. But yesterday was different. Yesterday, he wasn't alone.

He almost forgot that but now, it was all starting to come back to him. He was having a quiet afternoon as usual when he heard footsteps. He tried to find out who it was without being seen but he had no luck. The guy heard him. And when he decided to just show himself, he found out it was his sempai. His first instinct was to leave since he didn't like company, but something about how Mitsui looked made him want to stay. And so he did.

The whole afternoon was spent just like any other. He hesitated at first since he thought his sempai would bombard him with questions, but he was wrong. They didn't talk the whole time they were together and this satisfied him. For the first time after a long time, he was able to relax with someone else around.

He finally arrived at the park. A few more walks and he'd be by the lakeside. It wasn't easy walking around. There usually are a lot of people hanging out here at this time of day and he didn't want to bump into someone he knew. Especially someone from the team. He had enough of their curious stares during practice today.

'What do they care if I wasn't doing so well today? It's none of their business.' He thought to himself.

Without realizing it, he had already arrived at the lakeside. When he got to his senses, he found himself shaking his head in disbelief. He thought too much.

He looked around. Perfect. Nobody else was around. He had the place all for himself again…

…or not.

It seems he didn't look around good enough. When he stepped forward a few more spaces, who should he find on the grass leaning on his favorite tree but his sempai?

'Tch. Again?' It seems that Mitsui wasn't able to sense his presence yet. He can still go away unnoticed and find another place to spend some time alone with his thoughts. But then, does he really want to do that? After all, he had a feeling in his gut that this ex-bully was different from his other teammates. For one, he was the only one who ignored Rukawa's poor performance today. And besides, he couldn't keep the memory of last night's incident from his head.

But it was too late to make a decision now.

"Hey Rukawa. What are you doing standing there?" His sempai finally realized he had company. "Hm. Let me guess. Hanging out, right?"

He gave the Rookie a small smile. Rukawa didn't know how to react so he looked the other way. He couldn't help but notice something about that smile. Something sad…

There was a few moments of silence wherein Mitsui just stared at Rukawa, while Rukawa just stared at a nearby tree. Both felt awkward. But just like the night before, Mitsui was first to break the silence.

"Are you bothered because I'm here?" He asked gently. Rukawa glanced at him and this time, Mitsui was the one to turn away.

It was a few moments before the kitsune answered. "No."

And without really thinking, he walked towards his sempai and sat a few feet from him, leaned on the tree behind him and closed his eyes.

Mitsui returned his gaze to the freshman and found himself smiling again. He wanted to ask him a few things but figured it wasn't his business so he leaned back again and closed his eyes as well.

Perfect.

-tbc-

---

**a/n**: Whew. Well, there you go. Reviews please! Personally though, I'm not very satisfied with this chapter. I think I liked the first one better laughs. Ah well. I'd love to know your opinions. But no flares please!

1 I got this quote from "Boy's Be" but I edited it a little.

2 "Mrs. Asakura" is my own character.

**ren**


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